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Lot Essay
The arms to the top of this tapestry are probably those of the Tasca family in Bergamo and Venice.
The coat-of- arms had in the past been said to be those of cardinal Giannettino di Giovanni Andrea Doria (b. 1554) although the family arms do not match the ones to the top of the tapestry. Giannettino was born into the family of the reigning princes of Melfi. The Dorias were a leading family in the political, military and economic life of Genoa from the 12th Century onward, reaching their climax with Andrea Doria (d. 1560). Andrea was a brillian admiral, who served first Francis I of France and later changed sides to fight for the Holy Roman emperor Charles V against Francis. In 1528 Andrea and his forces drove the French out of Genoa and Charles bestowed him with riches and honours, naming him grand admiral of the imperial fleet and prince of Melfi. This south Italian town had previously been the favourite residence of the Holy Roman empreror Frederick II. It had subsequently passed to the Caracciolo, Philip of Orange and then finally to the Doria. Upon Andrea Doria's death his grandnephew Giovanni Andrea (d. 1606) took over the position as head of family. Giannettino di Giovanni Andrea Doria, whose arms are on the tapestry and who is contemporary with the latter, received his education in Spain and entered the service of Philip II of Spain at an early age, serving him as a Viceroy in Sicily. Pope Clement VII named him cardinal in 1604 upon the request of Philip, and five years later Paul V made him archbishop of Palermo.
The weaver's mark on this tapestry is that of Martin Reymbouts (d. 1619). Reymbouts, who came out of one of the main weavers' families of Brussels, can be traced back as having lost most of his possessions during the sacking of Antwerp in 1576. He ran one of the nine larger studios which were 'privileged' by the council in 1613, being able to produce at least two large sets of tapestries per year. He had a preference for the tapestry designs of the principal period of Brussels' tapestry production in the mid-16th Century, and wove these subjects into the early 17th Century.
The scene depicts Christ asleep, crossing the Sea of Galilee with the disciples. When suddenly a storm arose the frightened disciples awakened Christ for fear of the boat sinking. He calmed the sea with a few words and rebuked the disciples for their faint-heartedness. The border shows medallions depicting The Story of Jonah and the Whale. Jonah was sent by God to Nineveh to preach to its citizens, but he defected and fled on a boat. God unloosened a storm, which threatened to sink the boat, as a punishment. When Jonah confessed to the others on the boat that he was the cause of the storm, they threw him overboard. He was swallowed up by a large fish. While in the belly of the fish he repented to God and was spewed out three days later unharmed. The story of Jonah was referred to by Christ as a prefiguration of his own death and resurrection.
The coat-of- arms had in the past been said to be those of cardinal Giannettino di Giovanni Andrea Doria (b. 1554) although the family arms do not match the ones to the top of the tapestry. Giannettino was born into the family of the reigning princes of Melfi. The Dorias were a leading family in the political, military and economic life of Genoa from the 12th Century onward, reaching their climax with Andrea Doria (d. 1560). Andrea was a brillian admiral, who served first Francis I of France and later changed sides to fight for the Holy Roman emperor Charles V against Francis. In 1528 Andrea and his forces drove the French out of Genoa and Charles bestowed him with riches and honours, naming him grand admiral of the imperial fleet and prince of Melfi. This south Italian town had previously been the favourite residence of the Holy Roman empreror Frederick II. It had subsequently passed to the Caracciolo, Philip of Orange and then finally to the Doria. Upon Andrea Doria's death his grandnephew Giovanni Andrea (d. 1606) took over the position as head of family. Giannettino di Giovanni Andrea Doria, whose arms are on the tapestry and who is contemporary with the latter, received his education in Spain and entered the service of Philip II of Spain at an early age, serving him as a Viceroy in Sicily. Pope Clement VII named him cardinal in 1604 upon the request of Philip, and five years later Paul V made him archbishop of Palermo.
The weaver's mark on this tapestry is that of Martin Reymbouts (d. 1619). Reymbouts, who came out of one of the main weavers' families of Brussels, can be traced back as having lost most of his possessions during the sacking of Antwerp in 1576. He ran one of the nine larger studios which were 'privileged' by the council in 1613, being able to produce at least two large sets of tapestries per year. He had a preference for the tapestry designs of the principal period of Brussels' tapestry production in the mid-16th Century, and wove these subjects into the early 17th Century.
The scene depicts Christ asleep, crossing the Sea of Galilee with the disciples. When suddenly a storm arose the frightened disciples awakened Christ for fear of the boat sinking. He calmed the sea with a few words and rebuked the disciples for their faint-heartedness. The border shows medallions depicting The Story of Jonah and the Whale. Jonah was sent by God to Nineveh to preach to its citizens, but he defected and fled on a boat. God unloosened a storm, which threatened to sink the boat, as a punishment. When Jonah confessed to the others on the boat that he was the cause of the storm, they threw him overboard. He was swallowed up by a large fish. While in the belly of the fish he repented to God and was spewed out three days later unharmed. The story of Jonah was referred to by Christ as a prefiguration of his own death and resurrection.